1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for spreading a tire in preparation for repair of an inside tire surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
To apply a patch along an inside surface of a tire, various treatments are generally required. While typically a certain amount of tire material or other features must be removed from the inside of the tire, several different preparations are employed depending upon the patch and application. For example, applying a patch requires removal of a non-stick coating from the interior surface of the tire, removal of dirt or debris, removal of a bladder imprint, removal of a sufficient depth of material desired for installing the patch, applying a texture to the surface for receipt of the patch, removal of an old patch or other features, and/or other treatments. As used herein, “patch” shall be understood to include a material being added to the interior surface of the tire for purposes of repair as well as a device carrying various components such as e.g., electronic sensors, RFIDs, etc.
In preparing for patch application, various material removal tools and manual techniques may be used for treating the inside surface of the tire. For example, removal of tire material may be performed manually using a material removal tool, such as a grinding or abrading tool, e.g., an abrasive wheel or similar tool. Such material removal operations can be particularly challenging when preparing an interior tire surface, which requires operating the grinding tool inside the tire. This can cause a problem when a smaller tire does not provide sufficient clearance to allow the tire to receive the material removal tool.
Therefore, advantageous solutions that allow for automation and other improvements in treatment preparations for patch application along the inside of various tires are needed. Advantageous solutions that can be used with a variety of tools and treatment techniques as mentioned above would be particularly beneficial.